Sheet-fastening device.



J. H. HORNE.

SHEET FASTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED Fea. s. I9Iz.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

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- the expansion and JAMES H. BORNE, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BARNEY AND SMITH (TAR SHEET-FASTJENING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

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Application led February 3, 1912. Serial No. 675,233.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. HoRNE a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Sheet-Fastening Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereiny to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a sheet fastening device and is designed more particularly for use in connection with steel cars. Sheet metal plates enter largely into the construction of cars of this type and it has been customary to connectvthe sheets one to another and to the supporting structure by means of rivets. 1n various parts of the construction these 'riveted connections are objectionable and the object of the present invention is to provide a fastening device for the sheets which will eliminate the rivets at those points where they are most objectionable and will not only leave the,

sheet with a smooth surface but will also form a weather-proof joint which will not be a'ected by the expansion and contraction of the joint.

'llhe accompanying drawing is a trans verse, sectional view of the upper portion of one side of a car and a corresponding portion of the roof thereof.

In this drawing ll have illustrated my invention as applied to the letter panel and the roof sheet of the car. In the one in-I stance, the purpose of eliminating the rivets is to secure a perfectly smooth, flat surface upon which the lettering can be placed to the best advantage.' lln the other instance the purpose is to secure a weather-tight joint and one which will not be adected .by

stituent parts. l

As shown in the drawing the frame of th car comprises a side plate 1 and a post 2 rigidly secured at its upper end to the side plate. Secured to the outer edges of the posts and extending along the outer side of the car is the outer sheet 3 and extending between the upper edge of the outer sheet 3 and the side plate 1 is the letter panel 4. A roof sheet 5, supported upon rafters 5, is rigidly secured at one edge to the frame of the car and preferably to the upper deck of contraction of con- Ithe frame and riveted thereto and having its lower edge bent outward, so that it eX- tends at an obtuse angle to the outer plate 3. rll`he lower edge of the letter panel is' bent inward and upward into a hook shape, as indicated at 8. This. inturned lower edge of the panel is hooked under the projection 7 and the upper edge of the panel is then rigidly secured to the frame. In the present instance it is riveted to one of the flanges of the channel -iron comprising the side plate. This row of rivets lies behind and is concealed from view by the over- 'hanging edge of the roof plate. Consequently, all of that portion of the letter panel'which is exposed to view is free vfrom rivets. It being impractical to secure the metal sheets of a length equal to the length of the letter panels I prefer to weld the vertical joints between the several sheets forming the panel and then smooth these joints. In this way 1 secure a panel having a perfectly smooth flat surface throughout its length and upon which the lettering can be placed to the best advantage.

The roof sheets of steel cars are usually of relatively light material, and, when this material is riveted tothe supporting strip on the frame, it is very apt to buckle or open slightly between the edge of the strip and the edge of the sheet, thus permitting the circulation of air through the joint. Even where no buckling is caused by the riveting operation the expansion and contraction of the metal tends to loosen the joint. By employing a fastening similar to that by means of which the letter panel is secured in position I not only eliminate the rivets and the accompanying buckling of the vsheet but I also produce a joint which will not be affected by the expansion and contraction of the metal and which will be at all times weather tight. The fastening device for the roof plate does not differ materially from that for the letter panel, and, as here shown, the

`lower edge of the sheet is turned inward and upward to form a hook, as shown at 9, and

the car, as indicated at 6, and extends overl'. the frame of the car is provided with a prothe side plate 1 and below the upper edgejection to be engaged by the hook 9. In the present instance this projection comprises a longitudinal strip of metal 10 rigidly secured to the side plate 1 and having its free edge bent into a position to be engaged by the inturned edge of the roof sheet. The character of the strip 10 and the manner and point of its connection with the frame of the car are immaterial, the essential point being that a projection of a suitable character be provided to coperate with the inturned edge of the roof sheet. This, of course, is equally true of the strip 7 forming a proj ection to coperate with the letter panel. In securing the roof sheet in position the lower edge of the same is preferably first turned upward to form a hook and is then hooked over the projection or strip 10, thus forming a tight weather-proof joint. The upper edge of the roof sheet is connected to the upper deck by means of rivets or otherwise.

It will be apparent, therefore, that I have provided a sheet fastening of the character described which, by lthe elimination of rivets in the objectionable places, not only leaves the sheet with a smooth unbroken surface, such as is highly desirable for the letter panels, but further produces a joint which is at all times weather-tight and Will not be affected by Weather conditions.

While I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and have shown the same as applied to tWo different kinds of sheets it will be understood that these are chosen for the purpose of illustration only and that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a steel car structure, a framexcomprising an upright post and a side plate supported by and secured to said post, said plate having its edge extending beyond the outer side of said post and provided with a flange, an attaching strip secured to said post below the flange of said plate, arranged substantially parallel therewith and having its lower edge bent outwardly, a panel having its lower edge bent inward to engage said lower edge of said Strip and having its upper edge riveted to said"lange, a second attaching strip secured to said side plate and having its edge extending beyond the outer edge thereof and bent downward in front of said flange, and a roof sheet having its lower edge bent inward to engage the lower edge of said attaching strip and having its other edge secured to said car structure at a point remote from said side plate.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. HORNE.

Witnesses:

HARRY B. MUST, FRANK W. BAUER. 

